Roger Metry might be in his eighties, but he doesn’t feel a day over 30. For over 65 years, he has been the proud owner of Roger Shoe Repairs in Redfern, where he has built a loyal customer base. Some senior Redfern locals have been dropping in for shoe repairs – and a friendly chat – since they were children.
As someone who makes a point of talking to his customers and checking in on his neighbours, Metry is the ideal person to ask about how the neighbourhood has changed over the years.
I expected a discussion about gentrification, overdevelopment and cost-of-living pressures. But on this sunny Sunday morning, Metry was much more interested in getting philosophical. Here are some takeaways from our conversation:
On life in the inner city
“Sydney is a beautiful city, but it’s a lonely city now,” Metry said. “Very lonely. But I don’t feel lonely. My customers come around and talk to me, and ask for my advice.”
For Metry, the key to connection is reaching out to strangers, whether it’s the woman whose car broke down out the front of his store recently, or a regular who was dealing with depression.
“It doesn’t hurt if you walk past someone and say, ‘Hello, how are you?’” he said. “It doesn’t hurt. But people get too lonely and too selfish. Some of them, you know?”
On the importance of reaching out to strangers
“One of the biggest issues around here is loneliness, but it’s up to the person,” Metry said. “You could be lonely, but there’s always someone to talk to.” And Metry is happy to be that person. “I like people that come up and talk to me and I ask for my advice. Right or wrong, I tell them what I know.”
On learning from life
“People sometimes tell me something good; I put it in my heart,” Metry said. “People tell me something bad; I put it next to it. So I know the good from the bad.” He’s sure to stay humble, though. “I’m a shoemaker,” he said. “I’m not a professor. We all make mistakes. But if I do, I’m proud enough to apologise.”
On respect and politeness
Although his neighbourhood has transformed, to Metry, one thing remains the same: “It’s nice to be polite,” he said. And that, he believes, is the key to his longevity. “It doesn’t hurt,” he said. “Some people don’t know how to. Money is power, but that doesn’t mean you lose respect for nice people because of those who are snobs. You take things as they come, and if you’re smart enough, you learn from the bad.”
On humanity
“People are just like the weather– hot, cold, rainy and sunny,” Metry said. “You take the good with the bad, but you learn a lot from the bad people. Humanity is life; you can’t judge people. Some are born nice, and some don’t know how to be nice, but you have to take it how it comes.”
On feeling young
“I don’t feel 80,” Metry told me. “I feel like I’m 30. Why? Because I am young. I’m healthy. I’m fit. I get up every morning at five o’clock, come to work, and work like hell.”
On the secret to a long and happy life
“I don’t worry about things; I just let things come,” Metry said. “Worry is the biggest killer in the world.”
You can find Roger Shoe Repairs at 88 Redfern St, Redfern